Two dramatic narratives arc through this documentary that marks 20 years since Cathy Freeman’s Olympic triumph: her reflections as an elite athlete, and our experience as a nation of spectators.
For athletes, COVID-19 means more than cancelled competitions. Having their athletic goals put on hold and their training routines disrupted can take a toll on athletes’ mental health.
An athlete who competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics says when the rescheduled Olympics take place, the Games can help rebuild societies in a humanitarian way through the spirit of Olympism.
Legally, the Tokyo organisers are protected from events that are out of their control. And it’s unlikely broadcasters and sponsors would press legal claims during a global pandemic.
If the IOC does postpone the games, it will have to deal with consequences such as the impact on athletes, broadcasting obligations, insurance pay-outs and its brand reputation.
While sporting events around the world have put their seasons on pause, the International Olympic Committee has refused to cancel the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. For athletes, the delay is a dilemma.
As the new coronavirus has spread around the world, sporting matches and events have been staged behind closed doors, postponed and increasingly cancelled outright.
Tegwen Gadais, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
Whether it’s global conflicts or communities in trouble, the solutions to peace and prosperity aren’t only found by government. Sports, too, can bring about much-needed change.
ABC’s decision to ax its radio coverage of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has been labeled a ‘complete shame’. But from a financial viewpoint, the broadcaster had few other options.
The marathons in next year’s Tokyo Olympics have been moved to Sapporo, because of concerns around Tokyo’s extreme heat. The move, though controversial, will reduce risks to the athletes’ health.
Genetic testing could help us build targeted and effective training routines for athletes, but the emerging science could also introduce opportunity for discrimination in the sporting world.
Honorary Professor, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, Canada; Adjunct Fellow, Olympic Scholar and Co-Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Research Centre, Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University
Clinician Scientist, Canada Research Chair in Injury Prevention and Physical Activity for Health, Sport Medicine Physician, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University